The fish, as represented in Fig. 526, is laid on its belly on a long wooden foundation covered over with white paper; the foundation with the fish is placed on a socle, and this is standing on a large tray. Every part is movable and independent, so that the piece can be easily transported. The tray is made of wood of oval form, with rounded prolongations on each end; it stands on several feet; the body of the tray is simply covered with white paper, and it has an open-work, silvered border. The socle is oval and hollow, it being made of two pieces of wood, one wider than the other, but fastened together in the center by a solid wooden support; the outlines of the socle are made of small pieces of board, or simply of strong cardboard covered with a thin layer of modeling fat (No. 56). The ornaments on the frieze and base of the socle are white and modeled in fat. The waterfall forming the frieze is made in pieces, stamped in a plaster east, and put together, and are upheld by a tin band projecting out all around the top of the socle. The balls can also be made in plaster casts in two separate pieces,, then put together.

The two small socles placed on the rounded ends of the tray can be made of fat on a mandrel, or else molded in stearine; they are movable but are held in place by a wooden peg fixed in the tray, and passing up through the base of the socle; each one of these is filled with macedoine salad (No. 2650), dressed in a pyramid and surmounted by slices of lobster. To cook the salmon whole it should be drawn through the gills, after scaling, and the inside filled with an ordinary bread stuffing (No. 61), then trussed: fasten it erect on the grate of a fish-kettle with string; cover with white wine court-bouillon (No. 39); heat up the liquid, skimming it at the first boil, and leave it on one side of the fire to quiver for an hour to an hour and a half: remove and cool partly on the grate out of the water. Untie it when cold, drain and lay it on the oval foundation, supporting it in two places on each side with wedges and supports, so as to keep it in position. These supports are hidden under sprigs of parsley leaves, then brushed over with half-set jelly.

The small trout which constitute the garnishing on the front of the tray are cooked an bleu, as directed in No. 1297, well drained and laid in two symmetrical rows on a bed of chopped sticky jelly (No. 2526); they are then covered over with jelly the same as the salmon. These two rows of trout are separated by a cluster of round, peeled and cooked truffles after being covered with jelly (No. 103) or meat glaze (No. 402); this cluster of truffles may be replaced by one of red shrimps or simply by fresh parsley leaves. This dish as represented in the design is intended for a sideboard supper or a ball; it must be accompanied by four sauce-boats of mayonnaise sauce (No. 606).

Fig. 526.